A Court of Flame & Shadow - Eris x OC

The Hunting Grounds

Blurry faces and muffled voices bled into each other. She was alone, everyone and everything else a world apart. She was at the bottom of a lake, the water murky and viscous. The disembodied voices whispered in their foreign tongue. She was cold and it was so dark she couldn't even see her fingers. The surface of the lake was ice, and she was trapped underneath. The sky was red. The faces above the surface, white as death. The water was pulling her back in. Darkness. Heavy. It was not water, but something thicker. Her breathing was ragged. There was no air. Buried. She was buried alive. She would spend her eternity here, taking shallow breaths. Alone. All alone.

Vel awoke with a start, gasping for air. Her sheets were tangled all around her, ripped in a few spots where she'd struggled against the material. Her body was coated in a layer of slick sweat and there were patches of ice all over her limbs. Her own powers had gone haywire trying to protect her from her nightmares.

Nightmares. An unfamiliar ordeal. She'd had dark visions heralding death, war, or famine but in her prophecies, she was always a spectator - like watching a theater play unfold. She had never felt threatened before.

She lay in bed, still breathing heavily like every gulp of air was a luxury. She reached out and examined the tattoo in the dim morning light. Tomorrow she would leave this court. She would request an audience with Beron, set things right with him, and fly back home north, to her cozy little cabin. She would put this place full of scheming bastards far behind and only be back when it was time for a new High Lord.

Vel didn't feel like herself. She had been so excited to be in the Autumn Court and only two days later it was all falling apart. She'd gone to bed with a splitting headache and woken up with a dull throbbing in her temples. She blamed Eris for the constant headaches. He kept getting under her skin one way or another. She had promised herself not to get involved with High Lords or their heirs in that way and what happened last night only cemented her resolve. To Eris, she was only another chess piece on the table. He would do everything he could to rope her to his side, just like he did with Nyoka. Vel huffed forcefully - contempt and frustration eating at her mind.

A knock and the door creaked open as if she'd summoned Nyoka with her thoughts. "Apologies Lady, I thought it might be wise to wake you, the hunting party is getting ready to depart," the forest nymph called from the bottom of the stairs. She heard the clattering of dishes as Nyoka arranged the breakfast spread.

Vel cursed herself silently and rolled out of bed, dragging half of the damp sheets with her. She grimaced as her feet touched the cold wood of the floor. The fire had gone out at some point during the night, so the room was freezing cold. Or perhaps it was due to the slivers of ice that she'd summoned.

She padded to the main area, cold and sore as if she'd slept in a Winter Court cave and not in a luxuriously plush bed. As Nyoka raised her eyes from the food she covered her mouth with a delicate hand. "My lady, you look ... apologies - you look terrible."

"I – " she didn't know what to say, what was wrong. All of it was a first for her. "My sleep has been ... eventful. I am sorry for the sheets."

"A prophecy?" she asked, hopeful.

"Something like that. I'll be departing tomorrow morning, Nyoka, there's something else I need to take care of." A lie but not really. She had to figure out what was wrong. "Please don't tell Eris, I will tell him myself, I just ... " She tugged at her tangled hair. "I just need to find the right moment." The faerie nodded thoughtfully.

"Eat. Regain your strength. I've also packed a hearty lunch, just in case the males don't manage to catch anything." She winked conspiratorially at her and Vel managed a small smile back.